


Origination

by 5wheelz



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, I hope, Nadzieja's Pretty Great, Original Character(s), Sorry If You Don't Like OCs, no one is ooc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:47:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22268908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/5wheelz/pseuds/5wheelz
Summary: Origination: (n), The beginning or creation of something
Relationships: CT-21-0408 | Echo & CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555, CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555 & Original Female Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. Ch. 1: In the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hello y'all! This is my first fic, so plz, go easy on me :)  
> Relationships and the like will be updated as the fic progresses. I've been building this AU for a while now, so I figured I should write it down to get it all in one place. Enjoy!

The day ended as every other day ended for Domino squad. One of them, laid out flat, and the others, snickering under their breath. It was Fives’ turn to take a beating, and instead of fighting droids, he was going hand to hand with their Weapons Specialist Trainer, a Mandalorian Zabrak by the name of Nadzieja Ordo.

Just before impact, Fives realized he should have been paying attention when Nadzieja was pointing out the body’s weak points.

_SMACK!_

Taking a step back, Nadzieja offered Fives a hand up. Fives took it, wincing at the pain it caused his hand.

“You alright?” Nadzieja’s modulated voice filtered through her helmet.

Fives stared back incredulously, flexing his hand and making a face that _definitely_ didn’t count as pouty.

“I think you broke my fingers.”

“Better your fingers than your face.” Nadzieja quipped back. “Besides, that’s what you get for completely ignoring my instructions. You even dropped your weapon.”

Turning to face those still upright of Domino squad, Nadzieja gestured to the mat. “Anyone else want to try?”

The rest of the group instinctually lowered their eyes, hoping that they wouldn’t be called upon. CT-782 was still nursing a sizeable bruise on the side of his neck, and CT-4040 was still mostly unconscious.

“Well, if no one wants to volunteer, can you at least tell me what Fives did wrong?”

CT-2010 raised his hand. “CT-2010?”

“He didn’t hit hard enough in the beginning, and when he did start to fight back, he seemed to have forgotten about the weak points you showed us earlier.”

Nadzieja nodded. “Exactly. You may have been told to treat your weapons with respect. That’s fine. But once you set foot on the battlefield, don’t be afraid to use your weapons as improvised clubs.”

Turning to face Fives, she continued.

“If you _do_ decide to start smacking people with your blaster, it’s also important to know where to hit them. That’s what I’m trying to teach you. Understood?”

Fives sighed.

“Understood.”

“Good. You’re dismissed.”

After Domino squad was a safe distance from the training room, Fives threw up his hands.

“What is _up_ with her? Does anyone else get the impression she’s singling me out?”

CT-1409 raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“Seriously? You volunteered to fight her because she wiped the floor with CT-782 and CT-4040. If you don’t want Ordo to beat you up maybe you should listen to her orders. That, and stop trying to show off.”

Fives growled lowly as he shouldered past CT-1409.

“Shut up, Echo.”

“Stop calling me that!”

Nadzieja let out a sigh as she boarded her ship. Domino squad was proving to be more problematic than she had originally anticipated. They just didn’t work well as a team. _That’ll get them killed._ Closing the ramp, she made her way to the ship’s armory. Her helmet hissed as she removed it. Lilac-dyed hair had fallen out of her braids and tight bun. She could feel a few bruises beginning to form on her face. _Guess he got a few lucky hits in after all._ As she began to clean her weapons, she noticed her RE unit slowly approaching. As soon as it was in range, it started beeping sarcastically in Binary.

_“_ _You’re making that face, Captain.”_

“I’m not making a face,” Nadzieja scoffed.

_“You look like you sucked on a Roonan lemon.”_

“If I sucked on a Roonan lemon, you’d know it. I’m just…frustrated.” Looking down at her pistol, Nadzieja continued to clean it thoroughly.

“The squads just keep getting more and more unruly. And don’t get me started on Fives. _Ugh,_ the nerve of that _di’kut_. At least he’s an excellent shot.”

There was a long pause where neither of the pair said anything. Looking up, she was met with RE-3 making direct eye contact. If RE units had eyebrows, Nadzieja knew RE-3’s would be raised.

“What? He really is a good shot. Of course I had to teach him how to snipe, but still. It takes some level of personal talent, you know.”

RE-3 rolled their hypothetical eyes and walked away.

“If you’re going to walk away dramatically, you could at least check the fuel levels or something!”

Nadzieja shook her head and continued to clean her weapons. Her Beskar proved to be a challenge, but she managed to clean all her armor before sleepily shuffling off to her quarters. The last thing she saw before drifting off to sleep was her clock, which read 01:07.

_*Flashback*_

The Jedi grunted as he took another blaster-bolt to the torso. It made Nadzieja wince.

“You need to get out of here! I can hold them off long enough for you to escape.”

Heavy blaster-fire continued to rain down on their position. The ship was protected, ramp extended and ready to whisk her away.

“But…what about you? You said you’d train me. You promised, remember?”

Nadzieja looked at him earnestly.

“I’ll manage. Take these and go. To the temple, or back to your Mandalorians, it doesn’t matter. Go where the Force guides you.”

He handed her his lightsabers. Nadzieja looked back at him tears in her eyes.

“I don’t want to leave you. Let me fight. I don’t—you never even told me your name.”

The Jedi shook his head.

“You have to leave. Your future is too great. Someday soon you will realize why you are so important. My destiny has led me here for this purpose. This is what I am meant to do, and I have made my peace with it. Now go.”

Nadzieja turned and ran up the ramp, not daring to look back.

As it closed on her Jedi, she heard him say, “My name…it is Vi—” 

_*End Flashback*_

Nadzieja woke with a start. Flipping on her lamplight, she fought to control her shaking hands. _Same_ krifing _dream_. Her breathing was just as shaky, and she just couldn’t tune out his voice. It wasn't the first time she had a dream like that, but it was more intense than usual. _Why did he—why was my future more important than his? It’s not fair—_

Releasing a deep breath, Nadzieja steadied herself.

_No time for that._

Pulling on a sweater and combat boots, she checked the clock. It read 03:47. As snippets of the conversation in her dream began to replay in her mind, she made her way to the training room. A crude punching bag was suspended from the ceiling by the back wall. Removing her sweater, she began jabbing the bag with a tight fist. The blood roaring in her ears helped drown out her memories of the dead Jedi’s voice, but even then, she could still hear the echoes of his words.

_“This is what—_

Opting to go without wrapping her hands, she began with a lighter hit.

_WHAM!_

_—I am meant to do._

Nadzieja swung viciously.

_SMACK!_

_Your future—_

_THUD!_

_—is too great._

Doubling down, she let out two strong hits. WHAM! WHAP!

_Go where the Force—_

Nadzieja’s attacks were becoming sloppy.

_SMACK! THUD!_

_—guides you."_

By the time she realized she was swinging too fast and with improper form, it was too late.

_CRACK!_

It took a few moments for her to register the pain. When it hit, her eyes flew open. Mouth gaping in a silent scream, she slid down the nearest wall, cradling her broken hand. Other than the pulsing of her hand and the thrumming of her pulse, Nadzieja found she was no longer reliving the conversation. _I can’t hear him anymore. Good._ Nadz drew up her legs, resting her head on her knees. _At least tonight can’t get any—_

“Ahem.”

_—worse._

“You should have wrapped that.”

Slowly looking up with the most venomous expression she could muster, Nadzieja made eye-contact with none other than Fives. Sensing he was in mortal danger, the clone raised his hands in a placating gesture, but continued speaking.

“No offense or anything. You probably wouldn’t have broken it if you’d bothered to wrap it.”

The silence was tense. Nadzieja ran her uninjured hand over her face. _Great. Of all the clones to see me like this, it had to be this guy._ Sighing, she broke the silence.

“You—shouldn’t you be asleep or something?”

Fives scratched the back of his head, looking down sheepishly.

“Yeah. Couldn’t sleep tonight. I usually head to the firing range to practice sniping, but I felt more punchy today. Well, that, and I could hear you from the hall.” Turning serious, Fives raised his eyes, cautiously regarded Nadzieja.

“Is everything—are you—are you alright?”

Peeking around her hand, Nadzieja studied his face. His expression was open. Honest. He looked concerned, and it appeared to be genuine. _Why would he care?_ She wondered. _Maybe he’s just bored._

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but…why do you care?”

Fives sucked in a breath.

“Well, despite how much you target me—” “I do not—” “Ahem.”

Nadz rolled her eyes.

“Fine. I’ll admit, I do pick on you a little.”

Fives snorted.

“Ha! I knew it. Just wait til I tell Echo.”

“Well it’s only because you were the first to pick a name. A stupid one at that.”

Fives sputtered. “It is not stupid!”

Nadz looked at him incredulously.

“Are you kidding? You could have picked something so much cooler, like Sniper, or Scope, but _no_. You chose to go with a _number_. And by the way, there’s only four fives in your CT number, so really, your name should be Four Fives.”

Fives grinned mischievously.

“Well, if you subtract the two from the seven, there technically are five fives in my number.”

Squinting back at him, Nadz struggled to come up with a strong answer.

“That doesn’t—you can’t just—ugh fine, please just—just keep saying what you were saying.”

Fives cleared his throat.

“Oh yeah! Ahem. Anyways, despite how much you pick on me in particular, you’re one of the few people around here that treat us like people. Brik just sees us as a paycheck and the Kaminoans never miss a chance of reminding us that we’re property of the G.A.R. You, General Ti…you treat us like living beings.” Fives paused. “I’ve heard stories about clones sent back here for ‘reconditioning,’ and—”

Nadzieja held up a hand. “What’s….’reconditioning?’”

It was barely visible, but she could see Fives shiver when she said the word.

“That’s a story for another morning. But the clones that come back…they aren’t the same as when they left. They have this look to’em, you know?” Nadzieja nodded. She knew that look. “They can’t eat, they can’t sleep, and when they do, they just wake up screaming. Sometimes they can handle it, but the ones that do make it…they always look like they’re running from someone. When I walked by, that’s how you looked.”

Fives approached, sliding down the wall beside her.

“A medic that had been sent back, he told me that the best thing is to talk about it.”

Nadzieja scoffed. “Really? You just want me to talk about my feelings? I doubt that’ll help.”

Fives shrugged.

“You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. Just thought I’d try to be nice and give you that option.”

Silence. Looking over, Fives saw no indication from the Mandalorian that she desired to talk.

He waited another moment. Still nothing. As he began to leave however, he heard the bounty hunter clear her throat.

“Wait.”

He turned.

“Please.”

Nadzieja motioned for Fives to sit down again. Once he was situated, she pulled in a deep breath.

“Have I ever told you the story of how I got my sabers?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is 5wheelz if you have any questions or just wanna talk :)


	2. Ch. 2: That's My Story and I'm Sticking to It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do you wanna know...how I got these sabers?"  
> This was what I originally had Nadz say at the end of ch. 1. Had to change it cause...she's not the Joker. Obviously. Anyways, this is chapter 2. Prepare for a little angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second chapter of this fic. No worries tho, it's the first fic in a series I'm planning. Say tuned y'all!

“Are we there yet?”

This time, the Zabrak refused to turn around.

“Not yet.”

Nadzieja huffed out a breath and rolled over. So far, it seemed like the orbak pulling the cart had gone over every available rut and bump along the path. She could feel the constant movement beginning to aggravate her injuries. That, and the cold of the air was beginning to seep through her armor and undersuit.

_Could be worse. I could be dead. Dead, like—_

“I don’t mean to pry, but you said you are Mandalorian, correct?”

“Uh, yeah. Why? Is that going to be a problem?”

The Zabrak shook his head.

“No. I simply didn’t want to offend you by removing your helmet. That is all.”

Nadzieja slowly brought herself up to a sitting position, still leaning heavily on the side of the cart.

“Don’t worry about it. I never swore the Creed.”

There was a longer pause.

“I see. If you don’t mind me asking, why haven’t you removed it? The atmosphere of this planet is safe enough for you to breathe.”

Nadzieja shrugged.

“It helps—I feel…better with it on, for the moment.”

The rest of their journey continued in silence. Nadzieja opted to lay down in the hay, and was able to get a meager amount of shut-eye before she was being shaken awake for the second time in the past 24-hours.

“Come. It’s dangerous to stay outside after the suns set.”

The suns were on the edge of twilight. A few rolling hills covered in tall grasses were visible. She thought there might’ve been trees at the edge of the fields, but it was too dark to tell. The Zabrak’s home was domed, like a large bubble, and entirely made from sod. Once inside, he motioned for her to take a seat on one of two crudely hewn stools. He then turned, facing a crude stove-top where an old clay pot rested above an open flame.

“Can you remove your helmet?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah sure.”

Her helmet came off with a weak hiss. _Definitely damaged_. The first thing that hit Nadz was an incredibly earthy smell. Something about it was…soothing. She took a deep breath, and immediately regretted it. Wincing at the grinding of her ribs, she wrapped a protective arm around her torso. When she looked up again, the Zabrak was standing in front of her, holding a bowl of soup. The sudden appearance caused Nadz to jump, instinctively reaching for her knife.

“Apologies. I’ve been told I move very quietly.”

Nadzieja waved a dismissive hand.

“It’s fine. I’m a little twitchy right now’s all.”

The Zabrak handed her the bowl, then returned to the stove to retrieve some sustenance for himself. As he turned to move away, Nadz caught a flash of silver. Two lightsabers hung from his belt, hidden by the folds of his garments. She brought a spoonful of soup to her mouth. _I wonder if this man is a Jedi—_

*

Fives waved his hands, cutting Nadzieja’s story off.

“Wait, wait, wait a _tic_. He was a _Jedi?”_

Nadzieja rolled her eyes.

“Yes, I was _getting_ to that.”

“You could have _led_ with that.”

Narrowing her eyes, Nadz glared at him.

“Because I’m telling a _story_. Pay attention!”

The two were silent for a moment. Nadz turned to face front again, but Fives continued looking at her, searching for a reaction.

“So…are your lightsabers…were they his?”

Nadzieja sighed.

“Yeah, they were.” Turning to face him, she asked, “You want to hear the rest of the story?”

Fives nodded.

“Of course.”

*

_—It would certainly explain why he chose to help me._ Nadzieja cleared her throat.

“Can I ask you a question?”

The Zabrak turned, crossing the small room to sit on the only other stool.

“Yes.”

“Are you a Jedi?”

The Zabrak smiled as he lifted his spoon to his mouth.

“You’re very observant. Yes, I am a Jedi Master. I was marooned here on my way back to Coruscant. It has been…more years than I can remember. There is no way off of this planet.”

Nadzieja couldn’t stave off the feeling of dread sinking in her gut.

*

“Ok hold on, if there was no way off the planet, how are you here now?”

Nadzieja threw up her hands.

“For _kriffs_ sake! Would it kill you to sit still and listen for five minutes? Weren’t you telling me you wanted to be nice and give me the option of talking about my problems?”

Fives motioned for her to quiet a little.

“Yeah, yes, you’re right, sorry.” He paused. “How uh…how long were you on that planet?”

Nadzieja stilled.

“Three years.”

“Wow. That’s…a long time to be away from your family—er, clan, I suppose.”

Nadzieja nodded slowly and began attempting to massage her still-throbbing hand to distract from the unwanted memories of her clan.

“Yeah. It was. Those years weren’t a waste though. He taught me how to wield the sabers. That and some…meditation techniques. At first, I just wanted to go home…but, I came to value my time there. It was—when I left—when I had to leave—that was the hardest part I think.” Ceasing her ministrations, she stared down at the mat without really seeing it. She looked as though she was watching a memory without closing her eyes. Fives let her have a moment.

“Why did you have to leave?” he asked as softly as he could manage. Nadzieja started slightly in spite of his gentleness.

“Hm?” she asked, eyes refocusing on the present.

“Why—what made you leave?”

Nadzieja released a tense breath.

“ _Kriffing_ pirates.”

*

After years without hearing the roar of ship engines, Nadzieja almost mistook it for thunder, which seemed to be common during this time of year. A ship shaped like a saucer passed overhead, landing nearer to the mountains. Close to the hut.

_Too close_.

Nadz spurred her orbak on, urging it to race across the grass fields. As she charged across the plains, Nadz readied her salvaged rifle. Shooting from the back of an orbak wasn’t ideal, but she wasn’t about to let any harm come to her friend. _Not that he can’t handle himself_.

When she reached the hut, a band of rough-looking Weequay were blasting away at the sod walls. Letting out a war-cry befitting a Mandalorian, Nadzieja opened fire on the intruders. She managed to hit at least three before the rest realized she was there. Not wanting her mount to get hit, she leapt from her saddle. As she landed, she tried to roll off the impact, but her shoulder absorbed more of the hit than she would have liked. Ducking for cover behind extra blocks of sod, Nadz yelled for her friend.

“You still alive in there!?!”

Through the wall, she could just make out a muffled,

“Yes!”

After squeezing off a few more rounds, Nadzieja rolled behind the house to a small window. They had made it for ventilating smoke after she had tried cooking once.

“Psst! Think you can get through here?”

She heard footsteps as the Jedi made his way to the window.

“I believe so.”

As he tried worming his way through the small opening, a few pirates had made their way around the sides of the house. Nadz picked them off one by one. Once they were down, she offered her hand and helped pull her friend the rest of the way through.

“Their ship landed not too far from here. If we take an orbak, we can take it and leave this place.”

Nadzieja nodded to affirm his plan even as she felt a pang of loss. _Leave? I was beginning to like it here._

“Then let’s go,” she answered.

The Jedi took the reins while Nadzieja rode facing backwards and wielding her rifle. As soon as they were visible to the Weequay, the pirates opened fire. Nadz did her best to pick them off while maintaining her balance, but it was certainly difficult. A few of their shots managed to get close enough to hit her Beskar, but they were simply deflected. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before Nadz went to take a shot and the rifle didn’t fire.

“I’m out of ammo!”

She stored the small rifle on her belt. Feeling something being pushed into her hands she looked down. It was one of the Jedi’s lightsabers.

“Use this! Try to deflect the bolts back at the pirates.”

Nadzieja took the saber and activated it. Its brilliant orange color never failed to surprise her. Holding it in front, she attempted to deflect the bolts. One was redirected from her blade and hit the smuggler who fired it square in the forehead.

“Hey, I think I’m getting the hang of thi—”

Just as she turned to speak, a bolt hit their orbak square in the hoof. It went down with a high-pitched bray, flinging the pair from its back. Nadzieja landed with a heavy thud, whereas the Jedi was able to flip mid-air, landing gracefully. Offering a hand, he pulled her to his feet.

“Come. We’ll have to run from here.”

It only took a few minutes to reach the ship, but just as they reached the ramp, a large blast threw them from their feet. Nadz scrambled to her feet, helping the Jedi reach a small ditch for cover.

“Do they have a _turret_?!”

Activating his saber, the Zabrak leapt out from the cover, instantly having to deflect bolts from various angles. Dropping back down he huffed slightly before replying.

“It would seem so.”

“ _Kriff._ ”

Looking back at the ship, the Jedi realized it was mostly protected by an overhang created by a partially collapsed hillside. Taking a deep breath, the Zabrak calmed his mind. This was his purpose. Jumping up again, he managed to deflect a few more bolts back at the pirates, but in the process, he took a bolt to the torso. He grunted at the pain and dropped back down.

“You need to get out of here! I can hold them off long enough for you to escape.”

Heavy blaster-fire continued to rain down on their position. The ship was protected, ramp extended and ready to whisk her away.

“But…what about you? You said you’d train me. You _promised_ , remember?”

Nadzieja looked at him earnestly.

“I’ll manage. Take these and go. To the temple, or back to your Mandalorians, it doesn’t matter. Go where the Force guides you.”

He handed her his lightsabers. Nadzieja looked back at him tears in her eyes.

“I don’t want to leave you. Let me fight. I don’t—you never even told me your name.”

The Jedi shook his head.

“You have to leave. Your future is too great. Someday soon you will realize why you are so important. My destiny has led me here for this purpose. This is what I am meant to do, and I have made my peace with it. Now go.”

*

Nadz let out a stuttering breath. Tears were now freely rolling down her cheeks. Retelling what happened that day was entirely different from reliving it in her dreams. In a way, controlling the narrative, telling the story out loud…it did feel good. Somehow. She sucked in a hiccupping breath. _Can’t believe I’m having a mental breakdown in front of my most difficult trainee_. There was a bit of irony to it, really.

“I never—he didn’t explain it. I still… I don’t know what he meant.”

Fives slowly drew in a deep breath but remained silent for the time being.

“So, I made it onto the ship. I could _hear_ him being shot. Just—um—just before the ramp closed, he—”

This time she couldn’t help but let out a choked-off sob. She stopped trying to speak. Beside her, she could hear Fives shift. _He’s leaving. Can’t say I blame him, I’ll bet I look pathe—_ her thoughts stopped in their tracks when she felt a hand rest on her back. _Uuuhh._ It began circling lightly, and she felt herself beginning to relax. Daring to open her eyes and looking over, she saw Fives had gotten closer. His eyes were closed, brow slightly creased. As her breathing managed to regulate, he began to stir. When he opened his eyes, Nadz realized she was still staring. She could feel heat rising on her cheeks as they made awkward eyes contact. Fives slowly pulled his hand back.

“Sorry, I should have asked first—”

Nadz shook her head, sniffling again.

“No, it’s fine. That was—uh—nice, actually. Thanks.”

Fives gave a soft smile.

“No problem.”

A comfortable silence stretched between the two. Once she felt as though she wouldn’t spontaneously turn into a puddle of sobs, Nadz continued.

“When I closed the ramp, he tried to tell me his name, but…the ramp closed too soon. All I heard was ‘V’ or ‘Vi,’ but I’m not sure. I guess…I guess I’m not meant to know yet, or some mumbo-jumbo.”

“Hm. So is that…did you dream about him tonight?”

Nadzieja nodded, massaging her broken hand once again.

“I dream about him a lot. Him and my father, of course.”

“Yeah that makes—wait—” Fives started, turning sharply to face Nadz.

“Your father?! Wasn’t he a…you know…”?

Nadz chuckled.

“’You know’ what?”

Fives lowered his voice, leaning in before answering.

“Wasn’t he a…a Mandalorian?”

This time, she laughed outright.

“ _Yes,_ my father was a Mandalorian. But that’s a whole other bag of trauma and I’ve cried enough for six years tonight.” Rising to her feet, Nadz offered the trooper her hand. “Shall I walk you back to your place?”

Fives chuckled.

“Sure. What do we tell Brik if we run into him?”

She shrugged.

“I’d rather just punch him, but that might get me fired.”

Fives laughed at that.

***

The walk back to the sleeping pods was a silent one. It gave Nadzieja time to think. She came to the realization that, after their final test, she wouldn’t be seeing Domino Squad again. _They’ll…they’ll probably be killed before I’ve finished training the next set of troopers._ It was a painful truth, one she thought she had accepted when she took the job. _Evidently not._

The pair halted in front of the ladder to Fives’ pod.

“Well,” he whispered, careful not to wake his brothers, “this is my stop.”

Nadzieja nodded solemnly. Fives let out a deep breath, reaching to scratch the back of his neck.

“Listen, if you…um…need to talk to someone again, I’m all ears. Seriously.”

Nadz smiled.

“And here I thought you’d try to lord this over me.”

Fives let out a soft chuckle.

“Nah. I’m not that much of a _shabuir._ ”

They stood in a comfortable silence. Nadzieja couldn’t seem to overcome the turmoil she felt, knowing she wouldn’t have long before him and his brothers were out in the world, fighting evil itself. _And dying_. Making a decision, she broke the silence.

“Fives.”

Nadz took a step closer.

“Thank you.”

As she approached, she slowly placed a hand at the back of his neck. Closing her eyes, she brought their foreheads together for a feather-light touch. Fives seemed to tense at first, but after a moment he relaxed slightly

“ _Ret’urcye mhi_ ,” Nadzieja whispered in her adopted tongue.

Fives let out a light hum.

“ _Ret’urcye mhi_.”

Drawing back, Nadzieja allowed herself a small smile. Fives returned it, before nodding, then climbing up the ladder. Once his pod had closed, Nadz turned and walked slowly back to her ship, choosing to take the scenic route.

*

She had seen the growth chambers many times, but on this early morning, she saw them in an entirely different light. They were all unique little children, waiting to be born into a world that held nothing for them but death. Shaking her head, Nadz cast those thoughts from her mind.

_Not if I can help it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mando'a Translations:
> 
> Shabuir: jerk but Much Meaner  
> Ret’urcye mhi: Goodbye / Maybe we'll meet again
> 
> My tumblr is 5wheelz if you have any questions or just wanna talk :)
> 
> Edit: I'm adding another chapter to this! Looking at how the timelines aligned, Nadz wouldn't have seen the Domino Squad graduate. So, I'll be adding a little bit of Clone Cadets from Fives' perspective.


	3. Ch. 3: The End?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s not that he expected her to be here, it just would have been nice. The bounty hunter had left less than a month ago, and they hadn’t heard anything from her since. There were rumors floating around of a Mandalorian who had helped in the battle for Teth, but Fives couldn’t be sure. They were just rumors, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update? For this fic? Wild. Yeah, I felt like the last chapter didn't end well enough for what I have in mind for this Clone Wars rewrite. Also, I worked on Nadzieja's backstory a bit more, so I figured I'd share.

It’s not that he _expected_ her to be here, it just would have been nice. The bounty hunter had left less than a month ago, and they hadn’t heard anything from her since. There were rumors floating around of a Mandalorian who had helped in the battle for Teth, but Fives couldn’t be sure. They were just rumors, after all.

The actual ‘graduation ceremony’ didn’t last long. At first it had been a big deal. Individual squads would be called, they would stand at attention, and be pronounced ready for combat. That was before. Before whole battalions were wiped out by a single super-weapon. Before planetary blockades were able to cut off entire regiments from receiving any aid, leaving them to slowly die out. Before.

The Domino squad had received their orders about a week before their graduation. Hevy, Echo, Cutup, and Droidbait had all been assigned to the Rishi outpost, one of several dedicated to protecting the secret location of Kamino. For some reason, Fives had been assigned to an outpost a few parsecs away. Echo had narrowed his eyes when he read his _vod’s_ orders.

“No worries. I’ll write up a transfer request and you’ll be with us in no time.”

After that, the majority of Domino squad had shipped out, leaving Fives by himself. He tried to avoid contact with the other squads he had been stuck with, choosing to be alone most of the time. This gave him time to really think. It was easy to get lost in his own thoughts.

His mind drifted to his squad…were they alright?

_Is Hevy playing well with others? Or has he already instigated multiple fistfights?_ Fives knew his heavy-handed brother meant well, but sometimes he had a confrontational way of showing it.

_And Cutup. Has that jokester already gotten punched in the face for a poorly timed quip? Has he been court-marshalled yet?_ Fives knew it was only a matter of time before his brother joked about the wrong thing.

_Is Echo driving them all crazy by reciting regulations? Or has he finally eased up on his obsessive rule-following?_ It was unlikely, but Fives was open-minded. He was young and unjaded, and hope came easily to him.

_Is Droidbait making friends?_ He had a tendency to withdraw into himself around new people. Fives just wanted his brother to shine like he knew he could.

After thinking extensively about his batchers, Fives’ thoughts would drift to the bounty hunter.

_Nadzieja_.

*

In the days following the training room incident, she pushed the squad further and harder than ever before. Nadzieja had yet to admit why, and Fives was determined to learn the cause. The pair had more early morning meetings. Sometimes they would spar, or one would take out their rage on a punching bag while the other stood by with ice for their throbbing hands. Maybe they would admit what had them awake at such unholy hours. Other times, they would remain silent. On one such morning, the bounty hunter had yet to really speak. Fives ventured to ask a question, knowing he might be pushing his luck.

“Is there a reason you’re pushing us so hard?” He huffed as he collapsed on the floor. They had been sparring for an hour or so. If Fives wanted to ask a question, now would be the time to do it. “Or do you just enjoy inflicting pain?”

He drank from the water canteen then passed it to the Mandalorian who had plopped down on the floor next to him. Nadzieja took a long draw out of the canteen. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, remaining silent. Nadz’s eyes were vacant. Fives knew it was the look she got when she didn’t want to answer his question. Sometimes she would brush him off. Other times, she would sigh, call him a _di’kut_ , ask if he really wanted to know, and would then proceed to answer the question.

Nadzieja sighed, interrupting his thoughts.

“You’re such a _di’kut_.”

_Called it._

“Are you sure you want the answer?”

Instead of responding, Fives dramatically turned to the bounty hunter, raising a singular, sarcastic brow, asking silently, _I asked, didn’t I?_ Nadz smiled.

“Fine. But remember, you asked for this.”

Fives grinned.

“Bring it on.”

Nadzieja took in a deep breath.

“Do you remember…when you found me in the training room? The first time?” Fives nodded, and she continued. “Well, after you went to sleep, I stayed up. I did some thinking, and…” She drifted off mid-sentence. Fives studied her face, waiting for her to continue.

“And?” He prompted softly.

“And…I realized how _wrong_ this all is. The Republic, the _Jedi_ , they didn’t hesitate to use an army of—of, essentially—” Nadz struggled to find the words. Fives himself was confused. _Army of what? Children? We’re not really kids, what with accelerated growth both physically and mentally. When clones graduate, we’re roughly—_

“Slaves. This—the G.A.R., is basically just an army of slaves.”

Now Fives was genuinely concerned.

“No, it’s not! What even—how can you think that?”

Nadz put her head in her hands, muttering something to herself. In all their talks, she’d never discussed something like this. Fives felt on edge. _Would the Kaminoans recondition me if they knew we talked about this?_ Fives swallowed thickly, trying to calm the fear creeping up his spine.

“Nadz?” He asked nervously. He heard the bounty hunter sigh, removing her hands from her face. Fives searched her face for…something. Anything. He noted the bags like bruises under red eyes, skin paler than it usually was. After a tense moment, Nadzieja continued.

“Think about it. Clones are literally bred to follow orders. Remember the Null ARCs?” Fives nodded mutely. “Well, when I first came here, I met Kal Skirata. He explained that, if Fett hadn’t intervened and given the boys to Kal, they would have been terminated.” As she spoke, the Mandalorian’s voice rose in volume. “Just because they were too ‘independent!’ They were barely _two,_ and the Kaminoans had _no_ qualms with murdering them. Just because they wouldn’t listen to orders.” The bounty hunter shook her head, growling angrily.

Fives struggled to find a good defense for the Kaminoans. The truth was, he hated their callousness with every bone in his body. They were cruel, distant. He shivered, remembering the stories he had heard about those who were reconditioned. From what he knew, the program was hard and many clones were killed in the process. Fives took a deep breath.

“Okay. Let’s say you’re right…how would you know what being a slave is _like?”_

Nadzieja laughed. Fives frowned. She had never talked about this subject. Fives didn’t even know this subject was a _thing_.

“Because I was one.”

Pause.

“I used to be a slave. Before I was a Mandalorian.”

Fives stared at the bounty hunter with a mixture of shock and horror.

“What? How—who—”

Nadz held up a hand to cut off his stuttering.

“I was a slave. When I was very young, around two or three years old, I was given to a gang of pirates to protect my coven. I don’t…I don’t really remember where on Dathomir I came from. Or what my mother and father looked like. All I have is my name.”

Nadzieja swallowed thickly.

“I was sold to a few other pirate groups. It was about two years before I was rescued. A man in Mandalorian armor, bearing the Ordo crest, rescued me and fifty other slaves. That man helped the others return to their homes, but I couldn’t remember where I was from. I was too young. Instead, he took me back to the Ordo clan, and raised me as his own.” The bounty hunter paused, looking into the eyes of her friend sitting beside her.

“I wasn’t a slave for long, but I will _never_ forget the two years I spent cowering in fear at the sight of my masters. There were times I was so terrified I couldn’t eat, or sleep, or really _breathe_. So I _do_ know what being a slave is like.”

Nadzieja’s face shifted from fierceness to something more pained.

“And because I know what it’s like, I can’t help but see the parallels within the G.A.R. The only difference is the G.A.R. isn’t stealing from cradles, they’ve made the cradles themselves. And I can’t tell which is worse.”

There was a long pause. The tension in the air had dissipated. Fives considered the bounty hunter’s testimony, and her accusation of the G.A.R.

_She’s right, but…there’s not much we can do._

“Are you…planning on doing something about it?” He asked cautiously. Nadz shrugged.

“I don’t think there’s much I can do. I’m not really a citizen of the Republic, and I don’t have the power to take down an entire system of government.” She smiled softly. “That is, not _yet_.”

*

_That is, not_ yet.

The bounty hunter’s words had been echoing in his mind ever since their conversation. It had ended up being their last talk. Nadzieja had vanished, something about a lucrative job, and then they had graduated. Fives doubted he’d ever see her again.

_But maybe I will. Someday._

He could only hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap! Thanks for reading this!
> 
> P.S. This was finished and posted very late at night/early in the morning. If you see a mistake, plz leave a comment. Thanks!


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